Inkjet cartridge with simultaneous electrical and fluid connections

Abstract

A refillable cartridge for inkjet printing devices having an ink cartridge carrier is characterized in that it is filled with an ink supply and tested prior to shipment, is open to ambient pressure during shipment and storage, requires no handling of the ink supply line during installation on, or removal from, a cartridge carrier, and permits simultaneous fluid and electrical connections to the cartridge as it is installed. Partitions divide the interior of the cartridge into a free ink reservoir, a foam-filled ink reservoir and an air buffer region. An ink passage permits ink flow in either direction between the ink reservoir and the foam-filled ink reservoir. A tab circuit is secured to one side wall of the cartridge and this wall is provided with an opening through which a hollow ink supply needle, mounted on the cartridge carrier, may extend so as to supply replenishment ink to the free ink reservoir during printing. In one embodiment the opening is a vent opening and one of the partitions is provided with a refill opening axially aligned with the vent opening and sealed by an elastic barrier. In this case the cartridge carrier is provided with a boss and O-ring surrounding the ink supply needle for closing the vent opening as the cartridge is installed on the carrier. In a second embodiment the opening in the cartridge side wall is sealed by an elastic barrier and a separate vent opening is provided for admitting ambient pressure to the air buffer region during shipment and storage. The carrier is provided with a boss and o-ring for sealing the vent opening as the needle pierces the elastic barrier. In both embodiments, the carrier carries a flexible flat cable that makes electrical contact with the tab circuit as the cartridge is installed on the carrier.

We claim:  
     
       1. A refillable ink cartridge having an interior divided by partitions into a free ink reservoir, a foam-filled ink reservoir, and an air buffer region; an ink passage permitting flow of ink between said foam-filled ink reservoir and said free ink reservoir; heaters mounted on a first outer wall for ejecting ink from said free ink reservoir during printing, said cartridge having a tab circuit mounted on a second outer wall and connected to said heaters for connecting said heaters to a source of energizing signals; said second outer wall having an opening therein through which replenishment ink may be drawn into said free ink reservoir from an off-board ink supply during printing, whereby said heaters may be connected to the source of energizing signals simultaneously with connection of said free ink reservoir to the off-board ink supply. 
     
     
       2. A refillable ink cartridge as claimed in claim  1  wherein said opening is closed with a pierceable elastic barrier, said cartridge also having a vent opening in said second wall for admitting ambient pressure to said air buffer region during shipment and storage of said cartridge. 
     
     
       3. A refillable ink cartridge as claimed in claim  2  in combination with a cartridge carrier on which said cartridge is mounted, said cartridge carrier having a wall portion supporting a flexible flat cable, a through-hole extending through said wall portion, said through hole having a hollow needle extending therefrom on a first side of said wall portion and an ink supply line extending therefrom on a second side of said wall portion, said flexible flat cable making electrical contact with said tab circuit and said hollow needle extending through said pierceable barrier as said cartridge is mounted on said cartridge carrier. 
     
     
       4. A refillable ink cartridge as claimed in claim  3  and further comprising a boss on said wall portion of said cartridge carrier and an O-ring surrounding said boss, said boss extending into said vent opening to provide an air-tight seal for said vent opening as said cartridge is mounted on said cartridge carrier. 
     
     
       5. A refillable ink cartridge as claimed in claim  1  in combination with a cartridge carrier on which said cartridge is mounted, said cartridge carrier having a wall portion supporting a flexible flat cable, a through-hole extending through said wall portion, said through hole having a hollow needle extending therefrom on a first side of said wall portion and an ink supply line extending therefrom on a second side of said wall portion, said flexible flat cable making electrical contact with said tab circuit and said hollow needle extending through said opening as said cartridge is mounted on said cartridge carrier. 
     
     
       6. A refillable ink cartridge having an interior divided by partitions into a free ink reservoir, a foam-filled ink reservoir, and an air buffer region; an ink passage permitting flow of ink between said foam-filled ink reservoir and said free ink reservoir; heaters mounted on a first outer wall for ejecting ink from said free ink reservoir during printing, said cartridge having a tab circuit mounted on a second outer wall and connected to said heaters; said second outer wall having an opening therein through which replenishment ink may be drawn into said free ink reservoir during printing, said opening being a vent opening for admitting ambient pressure to said air buffer region during shipment and storage of said cartridge, said cartridge having a refill opening in one of said partitions separating said air buffer region from said free ink reservoir, said refill opening being axially aligned with said vent opening and sealed by a pierceable elastic barrier, said opening being a vent opening for admitting ambient pressure to said air buffer region during shipment and storage of said cartridge, said cartridge having a refill opening in one of said partitions separating said air buffer region from said free ink reservoir, said refill opening being axially aligned with said vent opening and sealed by a pierceable elastic barrier. 
     
     
       7. A refillable ink cartridge as claimed in claim  6  in combination with a cartridge carrier on which said cartridge is mounted, said cartridge carrier having a wall portion supporting a flexible flat cable, a through-hole extending through said wall portion, said through hole having a hollow needle extending therefrom on a first side of said wall portion and an ink supply line extending therefrom on a second side of said wall portion, said flexible flat cable making electrical contact with said tab circuit and said hollow needle extending through said vent opening and said pierceable barrier as said cartridge is mounted on said cartridge carrier. 
     
     
       8. A refillable ink cartridge and cartridge carrier as claimed in claim  7  wherein said wall portion of said cartridge carrier has a boss thereon which extends into said vent opening as said cartridge is mounted on said cartridge carrier. 
     
     
       9. A refillable ink cartridge and cartridge carrier as claimed in claim  8  wherein an O-ring surrounds said boss.